Ghana: ECG Workers Union Sets Sept. 29 For Nationwide Protest Over PSP

Workers’ unions at Ghana’s state-owned Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) have set Sept. 29 for a nationwide demonstration against a proposed private sector participation (PSP) arrangement for the utility.

The peaceful demonstration will take place across ECG’s operational regions and will be followed by the presentation of a petition to President John Dramani Mahama, the unions said in a statement on Thursday.

The statement was signed by Christopher Apawu, National Divisional Chairman, and Lucky Larry Agboka, National Divisional Chairman of the Junior Staff Union.

The unions said the petition would be presented to regional ministers in their respective operational regions for onward transmission to the president.

The demonstration is scheduled to run from 0800 GMT to 1600 GMT.

In Accra, workers will assemble at the forecourt of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), while in Kumasi, the designated assembly point will be the ECG regional office at the Airport Roundabout.

Workers in other regions will assemble at their respective ECG regional offices, with demonstration routes to be announced later, the unions said.

Participants will return to their assembly points after the demonstrations for a briefing before dispersing.

The action forms part of a wider protest campaign announced by the unions earlier this month against the proposed PSP arrangement.

The unions said workers would continue wearing red armbands, which began as part of the campaign, until the next phase of the action is announced.

The Public Utility Workers Union (PUWU), which is convening the demonstration, will lead the exercise. The unions said PUWU had notified the Inspector General of Police of its intention to organise the demonstration in accordance with Section 1(2) of Ghana’s Public Order Act, 1994 (Act 491).

Committees will be established at the national and regional levels to coordinate the demonstrations, with further details to be communicated through the committees, the unions said.